Dedicated to the memories of Viktor Aurelius and Jeff Niles
After the death of Viktor at a far too early age, this project languished in limbo until the wonderful Jonithan Patrick Russell kindly laboured long and hard on producing Viktor's final script. This is the result: a wonderful, funny worthy swansong to Viktor's zany and charming Hitchhiker's fan series.
This episode also serves as a tribute to the much-missed Jeff Niles, who's performance here as WAD-O is, as always with Jeff's work, a highlight of the show.
We owe great thanks to Jon at DRE, who has done a marvelous job, and without whom this episode would never have been released.
Jeff Niles, founder of The 4077th Productions, has died. That’s a shattering sentence to type, as well it should be. Jeff would probably like me to throw a gag in this bit, because he always liked me to throw more gags into things, but I can’t find one. My friend is gone, and the gags aren’t there for me now.
His voice lives on, in the many productions he was involved with, and in our hearts and memories. Jeff was well-loved - nobody had a bad word to say about him. He was kind and funny and engaging - and he was always, always doing things. Lots of things, often all at once. “Hey, Jeffster, how’s it going?” I’d ask, over some internet messenger service. “Pretty good,” he’d reply, “just got back from drum circle to grab a bite to eat before heading over to rehearsals for the Radio Players. Spent all morning recording lines for Robotz of the Company, MOSH, Dr Who, a fantasy epic series, a political thriller, a sitcom about clowns, and a 15th Century dark romance set on the high seas, involving penguins.” “Cool,” I’d say, wondering where he got the energy and the enthusiasm. Because he was always enthusiastic, always seeing the positive side of things, forever singing the praises of the people he worked with and the projects he was involved with. I sometimes wondered if he was just being polite about sub par scripts (and I’ve written enough of those), but I think he genuinely loved acting and producing, and just being involved. To him, the good bits in anything always outweighed the bad bits, meaning he would invariably be prone to judge a work favourably. His enthusiasm was infectious. He rescued lots of things from the dustbin of ideas, gave them a smile and a good talking to, and released them into the world.
Someone soon should try to compile a list of all the performances he gave. That would be an awesome thing to read through. Because he could play anything. He did play anything. His range was enormous. He’s been Doctor Who (and The Master), Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, Professor Moriarty, various robotz (including the wonderful Zim Tron), sundry demons, Shakespeare’s King John, Edgar Allan Poe, Ebenezer Scrooge, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robin Hood, Faust, hard-boiled noir detective Lance Hardwick, Count Dracula, Tomás de Torquemada, and many, many, many more. So many more! He’d often be cast in several parts in the same thing, because no role was too small for him. I swear he did a MOSH single-handedly once, playing every character in a variety of accents. When we last spoke in December, I’d asked him to play the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, and I was greatly looking forward to hearing him play the part. Damn you, Jeff, now I’m going to have to recast! (That gag was for you, old friend)
Aside from being so busy and enthusiastic, he was always surprising. One day he told me he was producing audio campaign adverts for politicians. Another time he told me he had a whole other life as a pirate - he even had photos to prove it. That was another thing about Jeff - he was always in photos with people. There he is with an arm around Peter Davison. Here, he’s smiling at Nichelle Nichols. And here he is sat playing drums aboard a spaceship. That moustache! Those glasses! That twinkle in the eye.
We talked about producing a final MOSH story in the spring, with Holmes and Watson in their dotage, solving a case in their retirement home. The villain was going to be Moriarty’s daughter, now a Nurse Ratched type character. He wanted to call it Holmes Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but I talked him out of it. I’m going to write it anyway, and set it at Holmes’s funeral. And, Jeff, yes that’ll be the title.
My friend has died, but I’m still writing gags for him.
Synopsis:
Beginning in the past, we discover the first flight of the ship that
is now named the Stiletto. In the present, Joss goes on a personal
journey to discover the truth about his father's death, with many
dangers awaiting him. The crew of the Stiletto must journey to the
Creepiest place in the Galaxy! And who, or what, is Urr'o-Dae?
It
Starred
Jeff
Niles as WAD-O and the General
C.
Wayne Owens as Doctor Arlan Slaraand and Stiletto
Synopsis:
Sharp (aka Voslo) is battling a nemesis from his past, while the crew
of the Stiletto, and Joss in his Barbearitus Armor, fight an
onslaught of ships and tanks that threaten the survival of the
Prisoners and themselves. Bud faces Sister Subordinate, while Doctor
Slaraand and his Truffles hologram join the fray! And what about
WAD-O?!
It
Starred
Jonithan
Patrick Russell as Kreghono
Deborah
Adams as Lucy Sharp
Gary
Scales as Joss
C.
Wayne Owens as Stiletto and Doctor Arlan Slaraand
Synopsis:
The planet
of Creme Brulee is going to be a more Sticky Situation than anyone
could have imagined! Doctor Slaraand creates a way for the trio to
escape, but Sharp and Bud soon discover more enemies and danger
lurking before them. The Stiletto searches the galaxy for any sign of
where the President sent his Captain, while Killa Joss gives an
deadly ultimatum to Spawill and the Boss!
It Starred
C.
Wayne Owens as Stiletto and Doctor Arlan Slaraand
Synopsis:
Having been captured by President Nimrod, Sharp/Voslo and Bud Daniels
are taken to a forced-labor prison world. Lucy finds out that Earth
is not as she remembers it to be. Will they be reunited? You won't
know unless you listen! Oh - and make sure you listen AFTER the
credits. You don't want to miss THAT scene! LOL!
It
Starred
Jeff
Niles as WAD-O
Ted
Wenskus as Bud Daniels
Cary
Michael Ayers as Guy Sharp aka G'Una Voslo
Viktor
Aurelius as Hurtarg and the Hologram
Steve
White as Sister Subordinate
Deborah
Adams as Lucy Sharp
Geneva
Aubrey as Jenna
Dave
Morgan as George
Jonithan
Patrick Russell as Kreghono
Carol
MacPherson as the Nun Overlord
Mary
Genevieve Fortier as the Voice and the Robot Quartermaster
Synopsis:
Our heroes save the day on Ven'Faala, and are honored for their
heroism by the Galactic President (No, not THAT one! Remember this is
10 years earlier). You'll need to listen to learn more, but the
climax of this season will leave you in tears! Don't PANIC! We return
in 2019 with Season Two!
Synopsis:
Our heroes arrive on the ocean world of Ven'Faala to broadcast a
power plant dedication, but soon they discover what is really
happening. Plans have been set in motion by the evil Boss that will
take the Stiletto and its crew to the edge of danger, while at the
same time, testing the mettle of Lucy Sharp!
Synopsis: Having escaped from the Astral Casino disaster, our heroes rush to Barnard's Star and a nice Hotel. Lucy's father, the wanted "criminal" G'Una Voslo, arrives at the Casino too late to reunite with his daughter, but is instead reunited with someone from his past: Tharla J'Quantus. Lucy unwittingly agrees to be interviewed on the galactic news, dragging Bud Daniels - and also her father, into the limelight. Things get worse quickly, but you must listen to discover the details!
This
"Companion Series" to "Sexagonal Phrase" gives
you more info through interviews with characters of the Main series.
This episode, hosted by Eccentrica Gallumbits, features a “lost
episode' of the universally loved Gyro Springster Show and his guests
Na'Karthia and Ik'Tharia – the Mega-Mantis sisters - who have had
many issues with one another their entire lives. Can Gyro bring these
siblings back together?
If
you haven't listened to Episode 2 of Sexagonal Phrase, you need to!
Disclaimer:Please
note that this Audio Series is not intending to supersede or infringe
any other existing copyright in relation to The Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Galaxy or its concepts and sounds, which remain property of the
British Broadcasting Corporation and its creator Douglas Adams.
Synopsis: Having traveled from Earth to Alpha Centauri B, Lucy and Bud
find themselves enjoying the comforts (and strangeness) of a Casino that
is more than it appears! The crew of the Stiletto are chased by Killa
Joss, whose world is about to be turned upside down. And we meet two new
characters: Xarrissa O'Facto and her Writer's Assistant Drone "WAD-U"
who work for the Galactic News as Reporters! You'll have to listen to
find out why things go horribly wrong!
It starred:
Deborah Adams as Lucy Sharp
Ted Wenskus as Bud Daniels
Jeff Niles as WAD-O
C. Wayne Owens as Stiletto
Jonithan Patrick Russell as Kreghono
Cary Michael Ayers as Guy Sharp aka G'Una Voslo
Alex Gilmour as the Gray Alien
Katrina Clifford as High Priestess Tharla J'Quantus
Mary Genevieve Fortier as the Woman being Baptized
Disclaimer: Please note that this Audio Series is not
intending to supersede or infringe any other existing copyright in
relation to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or its concepts and
sounds, which remain property of the British Broadcasting Corporation
and its creator Douglas Adams.
This
"Companion Series" to "Sexagonal Phrase" gives
you more info through "Sexy" interviews with characters of
the Main series. This episode, hosted by Eccentrica Gallumbits,
features Sexbot 69-71 chatting with WAD-O, Bud Daniels and his
interview with Ik'Tharia the Arcturan Mega-Mantis, and a sensual and
steamy one-on-one conversation with Eccentrica and Korpax Spawill in
her Hot Tub! Wow!
Disclaimer:Please
note that this Audio Series is not intending to supersede or infringe
any other existing copyright in relation to The Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Galaxy or its concepts and sounds, which remain property of the
British Broadcasting Corporation and its creator Douglas Adams.
Disclaimer:Please
note that this Audio Series is not intending to supersede or infringe
any other existing copyright in relation to The Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Galaxy or its concepts and sounds, which remain property of the
British Broadcasting Corporation and its creator Douglas Adams.
A Teaser for the upcoming series "Sexagonal Phrase"! A fan-based spin off
of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Instead of a writer for the
Guide, this series follows a writer for Playbeing Magazine. It also
takes place a decade before the story you already know and love. This
series will be exciting, sexy and a bit Tongue-in-Cheek.
Written by Viktor Aurelius
Starring Jeff Niles and Ted Wenskus
with Rachel Rumler and Viktor Aurelius
“Sexagonal
Phrase” (aka “Dirty Words”) is a play-on-words of “Hexagonal Phase” the
recent H2G2 series on BBC Radio 4. Our writer for “Playbeing” uses this
show's Title as his Pen Name. Expect several nods to Douglas Adams as
we explore a whole new story line in his universe.
Disclaimer:
Please note that this Audio Series is not intending to supersede or
infringe any other existing copyright in relation to The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy or its concepts and sounds, which remain property of
the British Broadcasting Corporation and its creator Douglas Adams.